Burden of Numbers

Shekhawat makes announcement about the home party 

We are beginning to feel the burden of numbers. Earlier, when a decision had to be taken by the Club, forging a consensus was never an issue. We understood one language, spoke in one voice. It was because we were only a dozen or so members -- for all intent and purposes.
Today, having grown into a ‘healthy’ 50 (and still counting), taking the group along has become a monumental problem. Even a non-issue like accepting a friendly invite to a home party from a member can amount to letting the proverbial cat among the pigeons. Within minutes ten different opinion makers would sprout, some would sulk away in silence, others would shout at the top of their voice and before long, we would find ourselves back to square one.
But then, this is the curse of democracy.

Yusuf  Rassiwala intervenes

Being avowedly a Club ‘of the members, by the members and for the members’ and since 50 members can never see eye to eye, we must learn to leave things in a limbo. Significantly, when Shekhawat informed about the home party tomorrow at 4:30 pm, everybody was willing to go.

Ruksana Khan returns from Dubai
with a box of chocolates

But the moment talk began about the common courtesy of taking something along and perhaps pooling in a nominal Rs100 for it, people developed cold feet. Some spoke of setting a precedent, a few complained of stomach ache, others insisted that the party should be held in the Garden… A head count revealed that a majority had backed out!
That was when Yusuf Rassiwala stepped in and took a principled stand, explaining not to hurt the sentiments of the host who might have already made arrangements for the party. It made sense to only 13 people, while the rest coolly walked away. This was rather unfortunate. But more unfortunate was how a simple issue can drive a wedge between members, dividing the Club horizontally and vertically – something that had never happened when we were a small, contiguous group of like-minded members.
Last heard, the party stands cancelled. Instead, food packets will be distributed in the Garden tomorrow morning after the exercises.
Kiran Prakash:
Party or no party, celebration or no celebration, we need to repeatedly remind ourselves of the basic purpose of meeting at 7 every morning. And that is laughter and exercise blended with lots of positivity. We have to preserve it. We cannot compromise on that.
Angad Singh:
It is the bane of democracy that all members would not agree to a decision. There would always be dissenting members. However, once a decision has been taken, it should be honoured by everyone in right earnest. There should be no change of decision afterward. Frequent changes in decision do not speak well of our maturity.
Jagmohan Papneja:
I am of the opinion that our policy needs to be consistent and not allowed to change as per individual convenience, resulting in upsetting the interests of the Club. It is a fact that in a democracy, majority opinion is honored and must be followed.